The talk of the town:
Priest blog: www.wdtprs.com/blog
Lay blog: http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/
Is this not a great epoch to be living in?
Justus germinabit sicut lilium: et florebit in aeternum ante Dominum!
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Rome Requiem Mass for Most Reverend Franco Gualdrini (1923 - 2010) R.I.P.
On Monday he passed away at Terni, his old See (he retired during the Holy Year 2000).
Bishop Gualdrini in retirement had been the sacristan of the Basilica of St. Mary Major. He was the only bishop-sacristan I ever knew and of all the countless times I saw him he was always in the Roman cassock with episcopal zucchetto. A fine priest. It was great to have him there these recent years. He added a lot. Once he saw a teenage friend of mine in her mantilla at Mary Major and asked to pose for a photo with her he was so delighted.
Requiem!
Where to Swim When in Rome: La Marinella
Santa Marinella, 65 KM NW of Rome.
Like a day-dream beach. This photo was taken this month. March on the seashore!
St. Agatha Martyred Under Decius
Painting from a Rome sacristy.
"At Catania in Sicily, the birthday [day of death February 5] of St. Agatha, Virgin and Martyr, who in the time of the Emperor Decius, under the judge Quinctian, after buffets and imprisonment, racking, the twisting of her limbs, the cutting off of her breasts, and torture by being rolled upon sherds and burning coals, at last died in prison while in prayer to God."
-Roman Martyrology
What is Wrong with This Picture?
Today in the world there is an absolute value put on pluralism. Fine, but this is ugly.
Funny thing is that my grandma has this same carpet (and pine lumber) in her basement (lol!).
Italian art historians go nuts over god-awful stuff like this. Then we look bad. Thanks, guys!
In Honor of Moms: the Holy Machabees, Martyrs
Read 2 Maccabees 7.
I can hear my mum's voice in Latin:
"My son, have pity on me. I carried you nine months in my womb, and nursed you for three years, and have reared you and brought you up to this point in your life, and have taken care of you. I beseech you, my child, to look at the heaven and the earth and see everything that is in them, and recognize that God did not make them out of things that existed. Thus also mankind comes into being. Do not fear this butcher, but prove worthy of your brothers. Accept death, so that in God's mercy I may get you back again with your brothers."
-2 Maccabees 7: 27.
I can hear my mum's voice in Latin:
"My son, have pity on me. I carried you nine months in my womb, and nursed you for three years, and have reared you and brought you up to this point in your life, and have taken care of you. I beseech you, my child, to look at the heaven and the earth and see everything that is in them, and recognize that God did not make them out of things that existed. Thus also mankind comes into being. Do not fear this butcher, but prove worthy of your brothers. Accept death, so that in God's mercy I may get you back again with your brothers."
-2 Maccabees 7: 27.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Catholic Africa
"And everyone who has left house or brothers or sisters or wife, or children or lands for My Name's sake shall receive a HUNDREDFOLD."
-Matthew 19:27-29
Rome Tomb of Enrico Dante
Henricus S.R.E. Card. Dante
Presb. S. Agathae in Urbe
Romanus
5.7.1884 - 24.4.1967
Church of St. Agatha of the Goths on Via Mazzarino, 16.
Mater Gratiae on the Borgo Pio
As you walk down Rome's Borgo Pio pause here and offer a prayer to the Lord.
Rome Holy Week Schedule for Usus Antiquior
Many have asked for the Holy Week horarium for 2010:
DOMENICA DELLE PALME E TRIDUO PASQUALE ALLA TRINITA' DEI PELLEGRINI
(Palm Sunday and Easter Triduum at Santissima Trinita' dei Pellegrini)
Domenica delle Palme (Palm Sunday)
ore 10:00 Benedizione delle Palme, processione e Messa Solenne
Giovedì Santo (Maundy Thursday)
ore 18:30 Santa Messa in Coena Domini
Venerdì Santo (Good Friday)
ore 18:30 Liturgia del Venerdì Santo
Sabato Santo (Holy Saturday)
ore 22:30 Messa Solenne della Veglia Pasquale
Domenica di Pasqua (Easter Sunday)
ore 09:00 Messa Bassa
ore 10:30 Messa Solenne
ore 18:30 Messa Bassa
For directions see here: http://roma.fssp.it/english/home.html.
DOMENICA DELLE PALME E TRIDUO PASQUALE ALLA TRINITA' DEI PELLEGRINI
(Palm Sunday and Easter Triduum at Santissima Trinita' dei Pellegrini)
Domenica delle Palme (Palm Sunday)
ore 10:00 Benedizione delle Palme, processione e Messa Solenne
Giovedì Santo (Maundy Thursday)
ore 18:30 Santa Messa in Coena Domini
Venerdì Santo (Good Friday)
ore 18:30 Liturgia del Venerdì Santo
Sabato Santo (Holy Saturday)
ore 22:30 Messa Solenne della Veglia Pasquale
Domenica di Pasqua (Easter Sunday)
ore 09:00 Messa Bassa
ore 10:30 Messa Solenne
ore 18:30 Messa Bassa
For directions see here: http://roma.fssp.it/english/home.html.
Support Life Site News
Stick it in the face of the enemies of civilization and support this worthy effort: http://www.lifesitenews.com/.
Rome Quotes
For your meditation today: "We all have been given the gift of life...let us remember to use some of our life to advocate FOR those that are denied theirs."
Monday, March 22, 2010
Rev. Paul Marx: Catholic Hero of the Twentieth Century
A spiritual father to many.
A glorious warrior of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
May the Holy Innocents, martyrs, greet him at the gates of the New and Eternal Jerusalem.
"Laudate, pueri, Dominum, laudate nomen Domini!" (Praise the Lord, ye children, praise ye the name of the Lord!).
Who will take over when legends such as this pass on to their reward? Know that the torch hath been passed on to a new generation of warriors.
Fr. Paul Marx, PhD: An American Saint
He was ordained priest in this same chapel in 1947 at the Benedictine Abbey of St. John's at Collegeville, USA. Photo taken in 2009.
In 1981 he founded Human Life International: http://www.hli.org/.
Like Mother M. Angelica, he is an American saint.
Fr. Paul Marx, OSB: Confessor of the Faith (1920 - 2010)
R.I.P.
The founder of the International Pro-Life movement.
A giant of a man. A living legend. I twice had lunch with him last summer and he signed this book, his doctoral thesis.
Sent into exile, defamed by an Archbishop in 1997, his Benedictine superiors took away his faculties. One grave injustice and persecution after another. And yet he remained a model of obedience and faith.
May God grant that his prayers will assist us in the pro-life fight as we face new challenges such as Obamacare.
Rome Quotes
Oft-repeated words of my dad: ''When government says they're going to give you something they have to take something away''.
-Matthew
-Matthew
Famous Swiss Benedictine Convent of Claro (Monastero di Santa Maria Assunta)
This convent has been here since 1490.
The chapel was constructed in 1684.
Imagine that nuns have lived and prayed here on the side of this mountain every day since 1490. The sisters pray in Latin, but speak Italian. They live in cloister.
Even St. Charles Borromeo came here to visit (the sisters even kept some items as relics) as the Duchy of Milan covered this land.
See here: http://www.monasterodiclaro.ch/index.htm.
Famous Swiss Benedictine Convent of Claro (Monastero di Santa Maria Assunta)
As you can see the convent is located on the side of a mountain, the Claro. Cardinal Ratzinger came here more than once to visit. We came for sung Mass in Latin on New Year's Day (thanks, Don Moore!).
The chapel depicted in the second photo is located at the bottom of the hill.
The convent can only be reached in this exciting manner - you ring the porter and then you are lifted up above the forest and up the hill in this orange funivia ski lift. A great view of the Swiss Alps!
See here: http://www.monasterodiclaro.ch/index.htm.
Christians Are to Vote Pro-Life
http://www.catholicvote.org/
http://www.catholicvoteaction.org/
"As for me and my household, we vote pro-life."
http://www.catholicvoteaction.org/
"As for me and my household, we vote pro-life."
Pro-Life Europe on the Rise
With the E.U. in Bruxelles and Strasbourg we need more pro-life lobbies/efforts there.
On Sunday there will be a pro-life march in Brussels in front of the Royal Palace: http://www.28march2010.be/.
This is a big deal. A start. At least it's something. Support them in prayer. This war is in large part spiritual.
On Sunday there will be a pro-life march in Brussels in front of the Royal Palace: http://www.28march2010.be/.
This is a big deal. A start. At least it's something. Support them in prayer. This war is in large part spiritual.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Mons. Carlo Chenis: My Friend the Bishop of the Port of Rome (1954 - 2010)
He was the finest. A real legend. A great man.
From Turin, he was a Salesian of Don Bosco.
A much-loved university professor at Rome's Salesian University he was hand-picked by the Salesian Cardinal Secretary of State who consecrated him bishop and sent him to the Salesian port of Rome, Civitavecchia.
He passed away on March 19 from complications due to cancer that within just a few months had worked its course.
Remember: the worst thing you can do for the dead is to boast that they already enjoy heavenly bliss; instead, pray for the dead as the Church instructs us.
In your charity kindly pray for the repose of his soul.
Don Carlo, tutti aspettavano il miracolo della tua guarigione ma il miracolo veramente è stata la tua presenza tra noi. Sei stato un vero vescovo e un brillante teologo (i tuoi incontri con i giovani e adulti sono stati i migliori). Grazie per la tua presenza tra noi e per la tua santità!
Mons. Carlo Chenis, SDB (Bishop of Civitavecchia - Tarquinia): R.I.P. 1954 - 2010
He was a personal friend of mine. And he welcomed this blog effort.
On St. Joseph's Day he passed away at the age of 55. One of the finest bishops on the continent. A major loss for the Church and local community. I am still in a state of shock. Please pray for this holy soul. He was a fierce and loyal son of Pope Benedict XVI.
Requiem!
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Lay Students in Rome Information
This site will save you a lot: http://sites.google.com/site/laystudentsinrome2/home.
Paul VI on the Tiara
"Finally, the new pontiff is to be crowned by the senior cardinal deacon. Within a suitable period, he is also to take possession, in the prescribed manner, of the Patriarchal Archbasilica of the Lateran."
-Pope Paul VI (Apostolic Constitution on the Vacancy of the Apostolic See and the Election of the Roman Pontiff issued on October 1, 1975).
-Pope Paul VI (Apostolic Constitution on the Vacancy of the Apostolic See and the Election of the Roman Pontiff issued on October 1, 1975).
As a Hobby: Begin to Read Papal Encyclicals
A fine occupation of interest.
See here: http://www.papalencyclicals.net/.
Start with Leo. He looked at the world and he presented its troubles with astonishing clarity in a series of encyclicals which have become a part of world literature. He defined the rights of man on earth and the concern of the Church in the establishment of those rights.
See here: http://www.papalencyclicals.net/.
Start with Leo. He looked at the world and he presented its troubles with astonishing clarity in a series of encyclicals which have become a part of world literature. He defined the rights of man on earth and the concern of the Church in the establishment of those rights.
Glory of Catholic Milan: Ambrosian Rite at Rome's Pantheon
Basilica di S.Maria ad Martyres (Pantheon)
Sunday, May 2, 2010
12:00 p.m.
Solemn High Mass in the Ambrosian Rite
In Celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the Restoration of the Extraordinary Form of the Ambrosian Rite.
UBI PETRUS, IBI ECCLESIA MEDIOLANENSIS.
See you there!
Sunday, May 2, 2010
12:00 p.m.
Solemn High Mass in the Ambrosian Rite
In Celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the Restoration of the Extraordinary Form of the Ambrosian Rite.
UBI PETRUS, IBI ECCLESIA MEDIOLANENSIS.
See you there!
Where to Study in Rome: Biblicum (Biblico)
Study Sacred Scripture here: http://www.biblico.it/.
The Church is in need of a new generation of scripture scholars who will defend against the challenges of the myth-builders who would dismiss the Holy Bible or large parts of it as just folklore.
Domus Ecclesiae Et Hospitalis S. Ludovici Nationis Gallicanae de Urbe
On Via S. Giovanna d'Arco, near Piazza Navona, is this old French casa del clero.
It's the old Domus Ecclesiae Et Hospitalis S. Ludovici Nationis Gallicanae de Urbe (Saint-Louis des Français Communaulé des Prêtres).
Archbishop Murray had studied in Louvain and sent the guys from the Diocese of St. Paul who had studied in Louvain and spoke French to live here while in Rome.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Rome's Irish Seminary
Ut Christiani Ita Et Romani Sitis.
See here: http://www.irishcollege.org/seminary.htm.
Would be nice to see this rendition of the college coat-of-arms on the college website front and center.
Banner of Rome's Irish Seminary
"At Downpatrick in Ireland, the birthday of St. Patrick, Bishop and Confessor, who first preached Christ in that island and was of great renown for miracles and virtues."
-Martyrologium Romanum
N.B. The dies natalis is the birthday into life eternal.
Dominicans at the Port of Rome
Since 1912 this statue has welcomed all as they walk along the beach promenade of Civitavecchia.
Padre Alberto Guglielmotti, O.P. (1812-1893)